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While on a recent beer shopping expedition, looking for new and interesting products, I picked up a tall can of this Whistler Brewing release. The latest from the brewery piqued my interest with its lightness and typically enticing artwork.

The Function Junction Northwest Pale Ale was a solid drink, featuring seven different hop varieties, as well as four different malts. The 4.8% ABV (a number I’ve come across a few times lately), 38 IBUs beverage was fairly balanced and certainly refreshing.

Available exclusively at BC Liquor Stores in 500ml tall can form, the beer is priced at only $1.99 (before tax and deposit), for a limited time. If you’re looking for something that’s easy to have a few of, without losing your senses, this would be an ideal choice.

Function Junction is the area of Whistler that is home to the company’s brewery and tasting room. Whistler was recently joined by Coast Mountain Brewing in the neighbourhood, which suggests that a crawl should be organized shortly.

Nothing says Christmas like the smell of roasted chestnuts. While the Sip Advisor is not a fan of eating the holiday treat, I certainly don’t mind drinking a concoction based on it. Thankfully, Whistler Brewing came along with this seasonal specialty.

The Valley Trail Chestnut Ale is of the dark amber variety and features flavours of vanilla, nuts, caramel and spice. The 5% ABV beverage is lightly hopped and uses stone-milled chestnut flour from roasted and unroasted chestnuts, alike.

While I see the beer as a dessert option, the brewery suggests pairing it with roasted chicken, Asian noodle dishes, and braised pork and beef. I will have to give those options a try and see how things come together.

First released in 2011, the brew is available from October to April in six-packs, bombers, and as part of the brewery’s Winter Party Pack. Either way, the Chestnut Ale has become a welcoming sign of the changing seasons.

While recently competing in a Disney Trivia event at The Pint, in Vancouver, the Sip Advisor was able to reacquaint himself with an old friend from Whistler Brewing… a pal I wasn’t sure even existed anymore.

The Whiskey Jack Ale is described as either a pale or amber ale, but the beverage reminds me of a Scotch ale, with its dark copper appearance and flavour profile. I would have preferred some even stronger tastes and smells, typical of that variety of beer.

The brew comes in at 5% ABV and is light on hops, making it very easy to drink. Some more complexity would have been welcomed, but it’s still a solid beer. The ale is available in six-packs at BC Liquor Stores.

A whiskey jack, for those who don’t know, is a bird belonging to the crow and jay family. As the brewery writes: “Like our winged friends on the mountain, this ale is full of personality, with just the right amount of hop!”

Prior to our recent weekend away, camping in the Cultus Lake area, the Sip Advisor did some serious liquor shopping. One of the bottles I procured was this release from Whistler Brewing, which I knew would be perfect for the occasion.

The Peak to Pier Summer Wit is a very good beer, featuring flavours of cranberry and peach to go along with the more typical tastes of a wit variety product (wheat, citrus, and spice). The 5% ABV, 15 IBUs beverage is light and incredibly refreshing.

An exclusive collaboration with Tap & Barrel, the brew can be found at their three Vancouver-based locations for the duration of summer. The restaurant touts the beer as ideal for days drinking outdoors during what can often be too brief of a patio season.

The Peak to Pier Summer Wit is also available in bomber-sized bottles at BC Liquor Stores, as well as private establishments. Get it before it’s gone!

While attending a recent Vancouver Canadians game at Nat Bailey Stadium, Mrs. Sip and I took advantage of the ballpark’s Craft Corner. There, we each picked up a serving of this Whistler Brewing beverage.

The Grapefruit Ale is light and refreshing, everything one would want in a beer enjoyed under the hot summer sun. The grapefruit comes across in the finish of the brew, giving drinkers a nice sweet and sour mix. The Sip Advisor even detected some caramel notes and a light spice.

I did think the 5% ABV, 14 IBUs beer was better at its peak of coldness and my enjoyment decreased when it grew warmer. This can be said of almost all drinks, though, with the only difference being how noticeable the gap was here.

Formerly known as the Paradise Valley Grapefruit Ale, this summer seasonal is available in six-packs at BC Liquor Stores. The BCL description suggests pairing the brew (which debuted in 2011) with pancakes or a light dessert.

Each month, as part of this 366-day BC craft beer extravaganza that I will be sharing with you throughout 2016, I will highlight a specific style or theme of beers for a whole week of articles. With so many brewery options out there, a game of one-upmanship sometimes occurs and from that, the world is treated to some very unique experimental releases.

Not content to let their classic lineup be all that is available to BC drinkers, Whistler Brewing continues to experiment with new releases, including this tasty treat.

The Cheakamus Chai Maple Ale is made by using real maple syrup during the mash process, before chai tea is added to the recipe during filtration. This results in a complex and spicy beverage. As the brewery puts it: “One taste, and a simple truth is clear: complexity can be a very beautiful thing.”

A spring seasonal to Whistler’s brewing arsenal, the 5% ABV beer is available in bomber-sized bottles at BC Liquor Stores and other purveyors of fine liquor. The Chai Maple Ale gets its name from the nearby Cheakamus River.

Whistler is not alone on the BC brewing landscape in their playing around with chai. Storm Brewing have also released a Chocolate Chai Ale, which I’ve sampled and enjoyed.

One of my beverage selections as we recently ate at EXP Restaurant + Bar was this Whistler Brewing release.

The Bear Paw Honey Lager was a decent beverage, but a little on the sweet end of the spectrum, thanks to being fermented with 100% organic BC honey. The brewery writes: “Whistler really is bear country and it’s quite common to meet a hungry bear on the Whistler Valley Trail. Which is fine, unless you happen to be carrying a Whistler Bear Paw Honey Lager; ‘cause we all know bears love real honey, right???”

Speaking of carrying the beer, it’s available in six-packs of bottles and will soon be joined with canned six-packs. “Just make sure you don’t walk home via the Whistler Valley Trail,” Whistler Brewing warns. Suggested food pairings (honey bears don’t give a damn about pairings!), include turkey, pizza, lasagne, steak, and calamari.

Featuring a logo with a bear chowing down on honey, how can you not fall in love with this brew. Sure, traditionalists will tell you that it’s all about the beer and not the package, but I’m a softy!